Sci-Fi

In a dystopic world after a devastating world war, the American city of Kennedy has walled itself off from the decline of the former USA. Determined to continue as a functioning metropolis, Kennedy strictly patrols its boundaries and struggles to maintain the semblance of a modern city.

Now, forty years after the end of the war, Kennedy is in crisis. Technologies are failing and replacements and repairs are not forthcoming. It is within this atmosphere of slow death that news of Re-United States of America emerges -- a RUSA which wants Kennedy to join.

But not everyone in Kennedy agrees with reassimilation, and a series of political assassinations and data thefts begin. As the deadline for union looms, Phil Roads, the investigator assigned to solve the killings and robberies, is under pressure. Caught between murderous opposing forces, with dangerous secrets emerging from his past, he needs to find out who's behind the crimes - and fast.

1996

HarperCollins (Australia)

Aurealis Award WinnerDitmar Award Nominee

"Metal Fatigue is [Sean Williams'] debut novel, but it reads like the work of a seasoned pro - one who hasn't lost the sense of adventure that a fictional world can create. If an author can be both a master and a novice, Williams has captured the best of both stations. [...] So, get some provisions stocked up beside your comfy chair and be ready for the long haul ... Hoo boy!"

"Places meant as little to me as emotions, then. Clair’s home was in Maine, but it could have been in Manhattan or on the Moon for all I cared. Names were nothing but labels, I thought. D-mat, the technological marvel that made human civilization on Earth and elsewhere sustainable, was just a means of moving data from cache to cache. That some of those caches were built out of atoms was irrelevant to me."

Recommended by Locus
Nominated for the Aurealis Award for Best SF Novel (2015)

The epic final novel in the Twinmaker saga. Aka Fall in Austalia.
See Twinmakerbooks.com for more info.

November 2015

Allen & Unwin

Recommended by Locus
Nominated for the Aurealis Award for Best SF Novel (2015)

“will haunt readers as they grapple with deep questions of reality, humanity, and how to strike a balance between opposite ways of thinking. Williams’ world shares many qualities with modern polarized human society, and it is this intelligent consideration that continues to set these books apart.”—Booklist (on Hollowgirl)

“The story powers on to a relentless, shocking conclusion that will leave readers howling for more. Recommend alongside other sci-fi titles with ethical complexity and logical quandaries, like Mary E. Pearson’s The Adoration of Jenna Fox (2008), William Sleator’s The Last Universe (2005), and Neal Shusterman’s Unwind (2007).”—Booklist (on Crashland)

“In the masterful hands of Williams, the technology, which has eerie parallels to contemporary life, provides a solid platform for great storytelling, and teens will revel in the drama, Clair’s tenacity, and the memorable characters who discover that their utopia isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”—Booklist, starred review

As ruthless apprentice to Darth Vader, Starkiller was mercilessly schooled in the ways of the dark side, commanded to exterminate the last of the purged Jedi Order, and groomed for the ultimate Sith power play: assassination of the Emperor. He served without question, killed without remorse, and lost his heart without warning to beautiful Imperial fighter pilot Juno Eclipse, never suspecting that he was just a tool in the schemes of his masters—until it was too late to escape their lethal betrayal.

Juno mourned Starkiller as dead...but now he is back, purged of all memories and programmed to kill. And as fate brings Juno and Starkiller closer to reuniting, with Darth Vader determined not to lose his assassin a second time, they will both have to make a stand. The prize is freedom. The punishment for failing will be eternal enslavement to the dark side of the Force...

From across the galaxy they’ve come: agents of both the Republic and the Sith Empire, an investigating Jedi Padawan, an ex-trooper drummed out of the Republic’s elite Blackstar Squad, and a mysterious Mandalorian. An extraordinary auction has drawn them all together—in quest of a prize only one can claim. Each is prepared to do what he must to possess the treasure, whose value may be the wealth of a world itself. None intend to leave empty-handed. All have secrets, desires, and schemes. And nothing could ever unite them as allies—except the truth about the deadly danger of the object they covet. But can Sith and Jedi, Republic and Empire—enemies for millennia—join as one against the certain doom of the galaxy?

Six hundred thousand years after Imre Bergamasc's abdication, the Host rules the supposedly peaceful galaxy. But revolution is fomenting - and Imre's unexpected return may be all it takes to light the final fuse.

2009

Ace (US)

Aurealis Award Nominee

“a tale of unimaginable span. ... It doesn’t seem possible that a series of books could do or contain more. The Grand Conjunction concludes a grand achievement. Five stars.” (Terra Incognita)

The overthrow of the Republic is complete. Absolute power now rests in the iron fist of Darth Sidious–the cunning Sith Lord better known as Emperor Palpatine. But more remains to be done. Pockets of resistance in the galaxy must still be defeated and missing Jedi accounted for . . . and dealt with. These crucial tasks fall to the Emperor’s ruthless enforcer, Darth Vader, who in turn has groomed a lethal, nameless Sith apprentice to secretly dispatch the last of his masters’ enemies. This acolyte’s journey will take him across the far reaches of the galaxy and test him with shattering revelations that strike at the very heart of all he believes, stirring within him long-forgotten hopes of reclaiming his name . . . and changing his destiny.

In the far future, in the aftermath of a mysterious galactic catastrophe, a false prophet comes face to face with his greatest adversary yet: a man who thinks he's god, and might very well be right.

While the battle for Earth rages around them, they face off, one wanting to conquer the world and the other to redeem it, and the victory may well decide the future of the galaxy, and of humanity itself.

(Astropolis 1.5)

2007

Monkeybrain (US)

Ditmar Award Nominee

"Science fiction is at its best in the short form. And it is here that Sean Williams excels." (Jack McDevitt)

In the forty-third millennium of human history, Imre Bergamasc awakens after two hundred years to the realization that he has been the victim of an elaborate murder plot-a plot that also destroyed the intergalactic transport milieu known as the Continuum. But now that Imre has been reborn, he will stop at nothing to help bring forth the rebirth of the galaxy.

The system of Bedlam has been devoured by a surge of nanotech. Believing that an artificial intelligence from Sol, the Archon, was behind the destruction, three unlikely allies begin plotting their revenge.

Human rebel Melilah Awad has fled deeper into the ancient labyrinth of Geodesica than anyone has ever dared, searching for its secrets. Isaac Forge Deangelis-former Exarch of Bedlam and guardian of Geodesica-will betray everything he believes in to see the Archon defeated. And pilot Palmer Horsfall, inhabited by another rogue Exarch, will risk her not-so-human life to avenge her sister's death.

Three Davids, against one Goliath. And whoever controls Geodesica controls the universe.

2006

Harper Voyager

Aurealis Award Nominee

"Williams and Dix have a flair for combining slam-bang adventures, intriguing characters and cutting-edge scientific and philosophical speculations, resulting in books that elevate your adrenaline and your intellect. This latest series is no exception to their reign." (Paul di Filippo)

The year is 2388. Humanity has spread to the stars, but the far-flung Arc Systems chafe under the tight control of the Exarchs, post-human AIs whose domination of faster-than-light technology7 gives them unsurpassed power. Then the discover of an alien artefact--dubbed Geodesica--changes everything. Promising rapid transfer between systems, it could give humans the advantage they need to bring down the Exarchs.

Now, a handful of men and women--including the VOIDship pilot Palmer Eogan, who is no longer quite human, and the revolutionary leader, Melilah Awad--are about to risk everything to unlock the secrets of Geodesica. And what they find will be far more dangerous than anyone--human or AI--could imagine...

Earth has been destroyed, and the natural order of things destroyed with it. What little remains of humanity is caught between the Spinners and the Starfish, unsure whether to run, hide, or fight back. None of the options is particularly attractive, none offers much hope for survival.

The mysterious aliens known as the Spinners brought great gifts to humanity--and those Gifts brought great destruction in their wake. Now, the Spinners are gone--and the genocidal Starfish who came after them are continuing their reign of destruction. Time is running out for the handful of surviving humans, their engram brethren, and the newfound alien species that has allied itself with them. Faced with almost certain annihilation, Caryl Hatzis, Peter Alander, and a crew of desperate beings hatch a last-ditch plan--they will take one small ship and attempt to penetrate the very heart of the Starfish fleet...

2004

HarperCollins (Australia)

Aurealis Award NomineeLocus Bestseller

"Williams and Dix do an amazing job of creating the impression of some vast order behind the alien actions, a large and almost comprehensible pattern. That outline, too large or maybe too small to see, lurks in the corner of the entire series and gives the uncertain ending the concrete inevitability of the inexplicable tragedies humans have always faced. Desperate and tightly paced, Heirs of the Earth is a disturbing end to a discomforting series. Sean Williams and Shane Dix turn away from the often comforting rules of fiction, forcing the real and sometimes intolerable uncertainty of survival on their heroes and their readers. It's not an easy book to read but it's much harder to ignore." (Rambles)

Rife with hostile cultures and outright enemies, the Unknown Regions holds many perils for Luke Skywalker and the Jedi, searching for Zonama Sekot, the living planet that may hold the key to dealing once and for all with the Yuuzhan Vong.

Meanwhile, on the edge of the galaxy and in the heart of a trusted ally, old enemies are stirring. The Yuuzhan Vong have inflamed long-forgotten vendettas that are even now building up to crisis point. And as Han and Leia journey on their quest to knit the unraveling galaxy back together, betrayal and deception await them. . . .

In the wake of Earth's demise, true human Caryl Hatzis and human engram Peter Alander have but one goal: to warn the surviving colonies of a coming menace--deadly alien ships, seemingly intent on the destruction of everything in their path. The only way to defend against them is to use the Gifts, advanced technological devices given to humanity under mysterious circumstances. But no one really understands the Gifts--and there is mounting evidence that it is their very use that attracts attack.

With time running out, Hatzis and Alander are desperate to find a way to save the scattered orphans of planet Earth. And then help arrives--from an unexpected and unwelcome source...

The harrowing search for Zonama Sekot is finally over for Luke Skywalker, Jacen Solo, and the others aboard the Jade Shadow. But joy turns to alarm when the living planet sends a defiant message: it refuses to follow them back to a galaxy full of war, exploitation, and misery.

While Luke works feverishly to persuade the elusive planet to reconsider, the Yuuzhan Vong launches a full-scale attack aimed at the heart of the new alliance. Sent to defend a major communications base, Han and Leia find themselves hopelessly outnumbered. Reinforcements are just too far away to help before everything is destroyed. So the courageous pair must now fight an unrelenting battle against staggering odds. Whether they actually survive is another matter. . . .

From the ashes of the New Republic—torn to shreds by the savage Yuuzhan Vong forces—the newly formed Galactic Alliance has risen, determined to bring peace to the entire galaxy. But first the Yuuzhan Vong must be contained once and for all. And so Luke Skywalker seeks a world long lost to legend: Zonama Sekot, a sentient planet believed to have repelled an invasion by the Yuuzhan Vong decades ago. Deciphering the enigmatic secrets of Zonama Sekot just might turn the tides of a relentless war.

Aboard the Jade Shadow, Luke, his wife Mara, Jacen Solo, and other Jedi head off into the Unknown Regions, where rumors and clues suggest Zonama Sekot might be found. Yet the mission has barely begun when the searchers stumble into a horrific battle. The Imperial Remnant, in retreat from the mighty Yuuzhan Vong, is about to be destroyed. It would seem those aboard the Jade Shadow have little choice but to leave the Empire to its fate. But these are no ordinary space travelers, they are Jedi. . . .

In the early 22nd century, humans have shed their bodies to travel through space. Produced through nanotechnology, their electronic reproductions, known as engrams, have been sent on fact-finding missions throughout the known universe--searching for signs of alien life.

As the crew of a survey ship watches, ten orbital towers are constructed around an uninhabited planet's equator--by unidentifiable, spindle-shaped entities. Then, without any attempt at communication, the spindles withdraw. Cautiously exploring the towers, Peter Alander finds what appear to be gifts from a technologically-advanced race, including a faster-than-light ship. But when Alander pilots the shop back to Earth with news of the unprecedented event, he may be giving humanity a gift it can't afford to accept...

In the Sol System, Earth is no more. But aboard the various starships and space stations orbiting the still-burning sun live the remnants of mankind -- unaware of the danger they're in from an army of genetically enhanced warriors determined to destroy all humanity.

Renegade intelligence agent Morgan Roche has been charged by the High Humans to protect mankind from the threat of the clone warriors. Pursuing one such warrior into Sol System, she strives to learn the true identity of the enemy, and how to defeat them.

It is here, in the light of the star called Sol, that Morgan will learn the truth -- about the artificial intelligence known as the Box, about the man who calls himself Adoni Cane, about the High Humans, and about her destiny.

2001

HarperCollins (Australia)

Aurealis Award Winner

"Space opera, like its grand musical cousin, couldn't exist without duplicity, ambition, lust, stupidity, and greed, and by the time the fat lady sings, whole worlds can be laid waste - and, oddly enough, it's this recognition of pain and evil as the generating forces of adventure that make A Dark Imbalance so satisfying." (Locus)

Long before the Commonwealth of Empires, long before the Dato Bloc rebellion, the Sol Apotheosis Movement created a group of super-soldiers to spread their agenda throughout the galaxy. But something went dreadfully wrong, and entire solar systems ceased to exist.

Morgan Roche had been an intelligence agent for the Commonwealth of Empires. But she turned renegade to determine the truth about a man named Adoni Cane. The answer -- that he was the last of the genetically enhanced warriors called the Sol Wunderkind -- shook the foundations of her world.

Now Roche is faced with an even more frightening fact: Cane may not be the last of his kind. A star has vanished, leaving only a terrible emptiness in space. Word spreads across the galaxy: The Sol Wunderkind have returned.

Roche finds herself at the centre of the coming conflict, as she struggles to penetrate the layers of deception surrounding the origins of the super-soldiers -- and the even deeper mystery concerning the artificial intelligence called "the Box" -- an entity that seems to have a sinister agenda of its own...

Long before the Commonwealth of Empires, long before the Dato Bloc rebellion, the Sol Apotheosis Movement created a group of super-soldiers to spread their agenda throughout the galaxy.But something went dreadfully wrong, and entire solar systems ceased to exist ...

THE ENHANCED WARRIOR

Morgan Roche had been an intelligence agent for the Commonwealth of Empires.But she turned renegade to determine the truth about a man named Adoni Cane.The answer -- that he was the last of the genetically enhanced warriors called the Sol Wunderkind -- shook the foundations of her world.

Now Roche is faced with an even more frightening fact: Cane may not be the last of his kind.A star has vanished, leaving only a terrible emptiness in space.Word spreads across the galaxy: The Sol Wunderkind have returned.

Roche finds herself at the centre of the coming conflict, as she struggles to penetrate the layers of deception surrounding the origins of the super-soldiers -- and the even deeper mystery concerning the artificial intelligence called "the Box" -- an entity that seems to have a sinister agenda of its own...

Long before the Commonwealth of Empires, long before the Dato Bloc rebellion, the Sol Apotheosis Movement created a group of super-soldiers to spread their agenda throughout the galaxy. But something went dreadfully wrong, and entire solar systems ceased to exist ...

THE ENHANCED WARRIOR

Morgan Roche had been an intelligence agent for the Commonwealth of Empires. But she turned renegade to determine the truth about a man named Adoni Cane. The answer -- that he was the last of the genetically enhanced warriors called the Sol Wunderkind -- shook the foundations of her world.

Now Roche is faced with an even more frightening fact: Cane may not be the last of his kind. A star has vanished, leaving only a terrible emptiness in space. Word spreads across the galaxy: The Sol Wunderkind have returned.

Roche finds herself at the centre of the coming conflict, as she struggles to penetrate the layers of deception surrounding the origins of the super-soldiers -- and the even deeper mystery concerning the artificial intelligence called "the Box" -- an entity that seems to have a sinister agenda of its own...

2000

HarperCollins (Australia)

Ditmar Award WinnerAurealis Award Nominee

"This variety of New Space Opera, with its greatly increased possibilities for intrigue and (more important) for encounters with remnants of a long and little-understood past, is closer to the adventure pulps that ruled the magazine world when Doc Smith was just getting started. It recreates the pulpy world of exotic cities, lost wonders, and undiscovered countries that has powered everything from Talbot Mundy and A. Merritt to Leigh Brackett and Star Wars... I'm not sure what an Evergence is, but finding out promises to provide hours of fun." (Locus)

In the far future, humanity has colonised the outermost reaches of the galaxy, and society has evolved into a variety of castes, from the godlike High to the barely sentient Low. In between are the mundanes, both Pristine and Exotic. Empires have risen and fallen, and the Dato Bloc has just seceded from the Commonwealth of Empires.

Morgan Roche is a commander in the intelligence arm of the Commonwealth of Empires. Her mission is to escort the artificial intelligence unit known simply as "The Box" to her superiors. But en route her ship is attacked by Dato Bloc raiders, forcing Roche to escape to the surface of the prison planet Sciacca's World with the help of Adoni Cane -- a genetically enhanced warrior whose past is a mystery even to him.

Marooned and hunted, Roche must protect the Box at all costs. But what about Cane? Who created him and why? The answers may be the salvation of the human race -- or its damnation...

1999

HarperCollins (Australia)

Locus bestseller

"genre-savvy and capably written, full of adventure and Asimovian imperial vistas...[w]ith echoes of vintage Jack Williamson and Poul Anderson, as well as Niven, Asimov and Vinge" (Asimov’s)

The year is 2069. D-mat offers fast, cheap travel, plus the potential to turn humanity into a race of godlike starfarers. But new technology has a dark side: d-mat allows a killer to perpetrate a series of vicious attacks without leaving a victim. Detective Marylin Blaylock is on the case ... a case where the murdered women all resemble her.

Jonah McEwen, a P.I. and Blaylock's ex-partner, is the prime suspect. But Jonah's alibi is watertight. He's been in a tub of maintenance gel, unconscious for three years. Yet, in a bizarre twist, he could still be guilty.

1998

HarperCollins (Australia)

Ditmar Award WinnerAurealis Award Nominee

"An Australian award-winning F/SF author strikes new sparks from an old flint: What if matter transmitters (“Beam me up, Scotty”) really worked?…Convincingly realized... with the vigorous narrative whizzing along at hyperspeed." (Kirkus)

Age: 15+

Book Contents

In a dystopic world after a devastating world war, the American city of Kennedy has walled itself off from the decline of the former USA. Determined to continue as a functioning metropolis, Kennedy strictly patrols its boundaries and struggles to maintain the semblance of a modern city.

Now, forty years after the end of the war, Kennedy is in crisis. Technologies are failing and replacements and repairs are not forthcoming. It is within this atmosphere of slow death that news of Re-United States of America emerges — a RUSA which wants Kennedy to join.

But not everyone in Kennedy agrees with reassimilation, and a series of political assassinations and data thefts begin. As the deadline for union looms, Phil Roads, the investigator assigned to solve the killings and robberies, is under pressure. Caught between murderous opposing forces, with dangerous secrets emerging from his past, he needs to find out who’s behind the crimes – and fast.